2021-09-07 Services & Organisation Committee Meeting Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                 7 SEPTEMBER 2021


7     THE J – FULL YEAR REPORT TO 30 JUNE 2021

Author            The J & BCC Coordinator, Scott Braby
                  Community Services Department

Index             ECM/ Subject/ 72.01 The J

Attachments       Nil


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not Applicable

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by The J & Bicentennial Community Centre Coordinator to the Services
& Organisation Committee meeting dated 7 September 2021, providing an update on the activities
of The J for the 2020/21 financial year.

REPORT
The purpose of this report is to advise Councillors of The J’s activities for the financial year ending
30 June 2021.
The J continues to operate as a versatile, multi-use community venue. It hosts a wide range of
activities, performances and live entertainment. It is also home to current tenants the University of
the Sunshine Coast (who will cease their lease agreement on 31 December 2021) and Noosa
Community Radio.
The J is the venue of choice for a number of community groups including Community Solutions,
Sunshine Coast Youth Justice, STEPS, Noosa Chorale, Alliance Françoise, Noosa Alive, Hillsong
Church, USC–CIDSEL, Noosa Music Society, Noosa Film Society, and numerous school and
commercial dance/theatre groups who conduct a range of youth activities, performances, awards
and presentation ceremonies.
The J’s theatre/auditorium capacity sits at 402 (including portable mezzanine seating for 64). The
mezzanine area continues to be regularly utilised by hirers to extend theatre capacity or as a
separate meeting space for up to 50 people. The J also offers a combination of additional flexible
meeting spaces, conference rooms and facilities for hire which are complemented by covered
outdoor areas and stylish open foyers.

1.    FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
The objective of all services within the Community Facilities branch is to balance the demands of
access, equity and community service obligations with sound financial management and to improve
revenue through innovative and entrepreneurial approaches, whilst minimising operational costs.
It is important to note that Covid-19, its associated operating restrictions and the general uncertainty
around how facilities would be able to operate throughout the year had a significant impact on the
reported financial performance of all of Council’s community facilities in 2020/21. A large component
of this impact related to the difficulty of setting accurate budgets prior to the commencement of the
year, given the high level of operating uncertainty at the time. That said, The J was also
disproportionately affected by operating restrictions in comparison to other facilities. Given this
situation it may be more meaningful to gauge the year’s performance by comparing to previous
years’ results than against budget.



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